How does Medicare’s new Mental Health Check In work? Is this low-intensity CBT likely to help?

May 25, 2026
UNSW Sydney

The idea is to catch mental health problems early, before they get worse. Here’s how it works – and the outcomes of those who’ve tried similar programs.

If you’ve been struggling with your mental health lately, a new free service could help. Medicare Mental Health Check In launched earlier this year to give more Australians access to mental health care.

The idea behind early-intervention programs such as this is simple: catch mental health problems early, before they get worse. But do these kinds of programs actually help? And will it work for all Australians?